


The Maze

by DaisyChainz



Series: Huxloween 2019 [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-10-18 16:56:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20642537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaisyChainz/pseuds/DaisyChainz
Summary: Armie Hux is best friends with Phasma and Ben. They're Juniors in high school, but Hux can already see how life is going to change soon. Pulling away before he can be torn away seems like the less painful option. But Ben keeps pulling him back in . . .





	The Maze

**Author's Note:**

> A little Benarmie for Huxloween!
> 
> Day 2: Hayrides and Corn Mazes

The spirit theme for the football game was 'luau'. Hux watched a stream of other teens going by in leis, sunglasses, and obnoxious Hawaiian shirts. Next to him, chanting along with the cheerleaders, Ben had somehow acquired a grass skirt. He had shed his short marching band jacket and was wearing it over his bibs. He pumped his fist and stomped his feet as the cheerleaders and the drum section led them through the "you can't do that" song. The other team must have fouled them. Hux certainly wasn't paying attention to the game. He thought Ben looked ridiculous; but he also couldn't stop glancing over at him. 

He was distracted by someone popping their hand over his short topknot. The long hair over his undercut had gone up as soon as he had pulled off his performance cover. He jerked his head to the side and glared at Phasma, sitting next to him with her trumpet ready for the next charge song. "Do you mind?"

She grinned and ruffled it again. "I don't mind at all, Armie. This makes you look like an angry turnip." She laughed heartily at the death glare he shot her. 

He turned back to his phone. "Don't call me Armie. And that only makes sense if I had dyed the ends green." Ben jostled his arm as he spelled their team name loudly: "E-M-P-I-R-E" along with the crowd. Hux looked up just in time to see Rey fly up into the air and do an--even he had to admit--impressive toe-touch. Her bases, Finn and Poe caught her neatly and returned her to the turf. 

A loud cheer erupted around them and Ben grabbed his trumpet off the metal bench. He and Phasma blasted the victory notes as the cheerleaders led a round of touchdown chants. 

It was all very loud and distracting. Hux returned to his phone where he was putting the finishing touches on his English 12 homework. He clicked to turn it in, then let his eyes slide left again. 

Ben was setting his trumpet back on the chilly bench. Even though it was a warm evening the bleachers always seemed cold. He flipped his long bangs out of his eyes and clapped loudly and hooted as the next kick-off lined up. His hair hung in his face, but the rest was clipped short and showed off his ears. They were quite large, and stuck out. But somehow, Hux had always thought they suited him nicely. 

Hux's thoughts were interrupted by a loud voice from below on the bleachers. "Yo, Solo!"

Ben focused from the field to the stands. Hux looked too. One of snare drums, Anija, was waving wildly up to them. "Yeah?" Ben yelled. 

"Y'all should come with us to the corn maze. The whole drumline and reed section is going. It's gonna be kickin'!" She grinned. "And we need another car." Only three people in those sections had their drivers licenses. Only two had reliable vehicles. 

Ben waved back. "Cool! I've got my Dad's truck!" Anija gave him a thumbs up and turned back to her drum in time to play "Sweet Caroline". The cheerleaders had an entire routine choreographed to go with it--yelling "Bump, bump, bummm" enthusiastically along with the tubas. Ben and Phasma played from their seats. 

When they were done Hux turned to Ben. "You know that's not even legal, right?"

Ben looked confused but didn't take his eyes off the field. "What isn't?"

"Driving people in the back of your truck. 16 and under have to be wearing a seat belt. And besides, until you're 18 you can only have one non-family member riding in the vehicle with you."

Ben snorted. "Of course you can quote the drivers ed manual." He paused to yell "Yeah!" At a successful play. Then he turned to Hux. "It's Friday night in a small town. Nobody cares what we get up to as long as no one dies. I'll drive carefully, if that makes you feel better." He grinned with those soft-looking, full lips. 

Hux wished desperately for just a moment he could be more like Ben. Let loose, be loud, break the rules. He quickly turned back to the field, not seeing the game, or the cheerleaders, not hearing the crowd. "That wouldn't be the case if My Father was sheriff."

He could see Ben turn back to the field as well. "Yeah well, he didn't win the election. My Mom did. So there you go."

They didn't speak again for the rest of the quarter. 

*** **

Ms Sloane expected them to march neatly back to the bandroom to clean up and put everything away. So as soon as the game was over there was a flurry of activity in their bleacher. Ben lost the grass skirt and re-donned his jacket. They all grabbed their instruments and started lining up. They filed down to the black top and stood waiting for their conductor Brooks, who Hux thought to be a self important snob, to call directions. 

The cheer coaches, Coach Amalyn and Coach Leia, had already sent the cheerleaders off towards the locker rooms. Coach Leia approached the fence they were standing next to. Hux felt Ben stiffen as they stood crowded together. Leia put her arms on the top of the fence. "Good show tonight, guys."

"Thank you Coach." Phasma piped up smugly. 

Leia smiled at her, then turned her attention to Ben. "What's the plan, kiddo?"

Ben groaned at the nickname. Hux knew his Mom had picked it up from his Dad, which made him hate it even more. "I'm going to the corn maze. I'll be back by midnight."

Leia frowned. "Curfew is eleven."

"Ma, I'm a Junior now. Besides, Dad said midnight for game nights."

She considered for a moment, then nodded. "Does Rey need a ride? She's going to Kaydel's for a sleepover." 

Ben groaned. "You've been with her, like, the whole night Ma. Why didn't you just ask her?" Leia got a steely expression and Hux felt Ben droop under it. He answered again. "She's catching a ride with Finn."

Leia smiled. "All right. Be sure to text me when you get there, and before you leave. Have fun, I love you."

"I know." Mumbled Ben and she turned to follow her crew back to the school. 

Before they could recover from that encounter another person approached the fence. Coach Snoke was following his players back to form their final huddle, but be detoured towards them. 

"Well played tonight."

Hux was always surprised when such a smooth, cultured voice came out of such a rough looking face. He knew it was bad to judge by looks, but Snoke's burn scars always made him seem creepy. And the way he looked at the three of them always made Hux feel he was being sized up for a meal. 

"Thanks Coach." Ben answered this time. He always seemed to like Snoke well enough. 

"You've done well with the band. But you really ought to consider joining my team next Fall. Not many band scholarships at the University, but they have a hell of a football team." He nodded to Ben, then Phasma. Almost as an afterthought he acknowledged Hux. "I know they call you the 'trio of terror' for your trumpet skills. Imagine how that would translate onto the football field."

"We'll think about it Coach." Ben answered. Hux and Phasma looked at him, then Snoke.

"Be sure you do." He walked away, joining the end of the line of football players. He bent his head with one of the assistant coaches, who glanced back at them. 

"He's kind of weird." Phasma said, only lowering her voice a little. 

"He's got a point about the scholarships, though." Added Ben. 

Hux gave him a sharp look. "You aren't seriously considering playing football Senior year. Are you? You'll lose everything you've worked for here."

Ben looked at him. "No I won't. Marching practice is zero period. Football is after school. Games are Fridays, Marching Jamborees are usually over the weekend. The only thing I would miss would be marching at half time."

"When would you actually do your schoolwork?"

Ben laughed. "Only you would worry about that. Armie."

Before Hux could protest Brooks blew his whistle and everyone lined up at attention. 

*** **

As he hung up his marching uniform and returned it, then made sure his trumpet was cleaned and pack up, Hux thought about what Ben had said. He knew Snoke wanted Ben and Phasma on the team, and that he was only an afterthought because they seemed to come as a package deal. He had thought of them that way for a long time. They had played trumpet together since middle school, marched together, had similar schedules. They only got split up during basketball season because Phasma had to play for the girl's team.

Hux knew he was a decent athlete. Even if he only played basketball because his father told him he had to be well-rounded, and that it gave him (his father) more connections in the community. The same reasoning went for his instrument choice. His father had made him play trumpet instead of flute, as the teacher had originally found him more interested in and better suited for. His father had thrown a fit about what people would think of his only son playing a "girl's instrument".

Hux had zero interest in playing football, even though it would thrill his father. He would probably spend the whole season sitting in the bench anyway. 

But the thought of being separated from his only friends did bother him. 

He straightened as he picked up his trumpet case, neatly back in his civvies and ready to leave. It was probably for the best. They were bound to break up after graduation, even if they all went to the local university. Better to start separating sooner than later. 

Ben walked up to him. "You coming to the corn maze? We need another vehicle."

"What about Phasma's car? I've seen her stuff as many as 8 in it. Even though it barely is supposed to seat 4."

"Yeah, and we need another vehicle."

"Fine. I'll take one person."

"Great, why don't you follow me." He turned and shouted to Anija and her friends. People were already disappearing out to the parking lot. 

"It's not as if I don't know the way!" Called Hux, but Ben was gone. 

He ended up with no one in the car but himself. Nobody wanted to be separated from their other friends to ride alone with him. He sat idling, watching most of the brass section and almost the whole drumline pile into the bed of Ben's ancient pickup truck. The windows were down and he had the music turned up. Phasma peeled her little car, loaded with more than four passengers, out of the parking lot with a squeal of rubber. Ben turned his truck to follow. 

Hux sat for a moment, watching all the activity around him. He had no passenger, so there was nothing stopping him from simply going home. 

Then Ben leaned out the window and waved to him. "Let's go!" He yelled over all the noise, and Hux followed him out to the main road. 

*** **

"Whose idea was this, exactly?" Hux grumbled. The hayride was packed, and all the square bales along the sides of the trailer were full. He and Ben had ended up squeezed onto the floorboards between everyone's feet. They were packed tightly, shoulder to shoulder. 

"Don't know, but this is awesome!" Ben yelled, followed by answering hollers from fellow passengers. 

The ride was over a farmer's field, and Hux felt every bump and ridge in the ground. They tilted perilously from side to side, pushing him and Ben against each other. Ben grinned at him in the low light. He nudged Hux's leg with his until he smiled back at him. 

When the ride was over Ben scrambled to his feet and held out a hand to Hux. Hux looked at it for a moment, then grabbed it and allowed Ben to pull him up. He landed directly in front of Ben, momentarily distracted by his proximity. He was close enough to feel how warm he was now that the temperature had dropped. He still held onto Hux's hand. 

"C'mon," grinned Ben. "To the corn maze." He dropped Hux's hand and turned to jump off the trailer. Hux blinked a few times to regain his train of thought, then followed. 

Almost the entire band was there, plus a few extras that had come with individual members. Mostly significant others, but Hux spotted a few siblings. They were loud to the point of being obnoxious, but it was late so the family crowd had all gone home for the night. 

They hung towards the back, although they could clearly see Phasma's blond hair up ahead. Slowly they started to disperse as different groups made different choices in the maze. 

They stuck with the group ahead of them for a while, just following along. Usually Hux enjoyed puzzles and liked the challenge of being the one to solve them. But something seemed different about Ben, and that was taking his attention. Ever since the hayride he had been quiet, which wasn't like him at all. Hux looked up at one point and realized he had absolutely no idea where he was. 

About that time the group veered to the left. Hux started to follow but Ben put a hand on his arm. "Wait."

At his tone, he sounded uncertain, not like himself at all, Hux stopped and turned to him.

Ben took his hand back, slowly. "Let's go this way."

They went right. Hux could hear everyone else, but they were muffled, distant. "Are you sure about this?"

There was enough light to see Ben look at him and lick his lips. "Yeah. I think so." He paused, then reached over and slowly took Hux's hand. Then he pulled him left at the next turn. 

Hux's head was swimming. Ben was holding his hand. Why would he do that? That wasn't something just a guy friend would do. Definitely not something a teammate or bandmate would do. Did that mean . . . Yes. That meant. And Hux suddenly realized that he Wanted it to mean that. 

They reached a dead end. 

Ben stopped, their hands still joined, and faced Hux. "Sorry, I guess I was wrong."

He didn't sound sorry, but he did sound nervous. Hux felt like he had the entire marching squad in his stomach. There was a roaring in his ears that drowned out all the other noises their friends were making. It was like they were alone in their own dark, chilly, but private little world. 

Hux hardly thought, he simply pulled Ben closer by his hand, grabbed his shoulder and kissed him. 

It wasn't a very good kiss. Hux had never kissed anyone before, and as far as he knew neither had Ben. But Ben's lips were soft and welcoming under his. 

They bumped noses and pulled back with a breathy laugh. Ben sighed. 

"I was really hoping you would do that."

Hux leaned their foreheads together. "I hadn't even quite realized I wanted to. And I never knew you were interested."

Ben gave him another soft kiss. "I thought I was being so obvious. I'm pretty sure Phasma knew. She kept making smart-ass remarks."

"I thought she was just being herself. I'm sorry I was clueless."

"That's ok, you can't be a genius about everything."

Hux laughed and pulled Ben a little closer. "I'm no genius."

"Coulda fooled me. You're up for valedictorian, after all."

"What? How would you even know that?"

"My Mom works for the school system. I know lots of things."

"Well, graduation is still quite a ways away. I have better things to think about right now."

"Really? Like what? Kissing your new boyfriend maybe?"

"That's quite forward of you. But I suppose, yes."

"So you'll be my boyfriend now?"

Hux laughed. "How could I say no to that?"

Ben grinned and squeezed his hand. His other hand had drifted to Hux's waist. "Great! But just so you know, just because your my boyfriend doesn't mean I won't still compete for that trumpet solo."

"It will just make getting it away from you that much sweeter."

"Well, I guess if you did you'd have to make it up to me. Besides, who are we kidding. Phasma's probably going to get the solo."

"Well then good. She can be off practicing the solo. I think I would rather practice kissing you."

And they got started right away.


End file.
